WEBVTT >> FOR ANY PROBLEM IN PUBLIC HEALTH, WE KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, WE SORT OF KNOW HOW TO SOLVE IT, BUT WE CAN’T GET PEOPLE TO DO IT. JULIE: FOR DECADES, SAM TELFORD, PROFESSOR OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND GLOBAL HEALTH AT TUFTS CUMMINGS SCHOOL OF VETERINARY MEDICINE, HAS BEEN TRYING TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT. >> IT’S NOT A MATTER OF FINDING THE INFECTED TICK. THE INFECTED TICKS ARE OUT THERE. IT’S A MATTER OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING. AND THAT TELLS US WE CAN DO THINGS TO PREVENT INFECTION. JULIE: CONTRARY TO WHAT YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, PROFESSOR TELFORD SAYS THIS TICK SEASON WON’T BE PARTICULARLY BAD BECAUSE TICK SEASON IS ALWAYS BAD. >> IF ANYTHING, YEAH, MAYBE THEY’RE UP 15%, BUT THAT’S WELL WITHIN THE 20-YEAR NORMAL, PLU OR MINUS 15%. JULIE: TELFORD SAYS MORE THAN HALF OF THE ADULT TICKS ARE INFECTED WITH LYME DISEASE. THEY’LL DIE OFF BY THE END OF MAY, BUT ADOLESCENT TICKS, THE TICKS THAT ARE VERY SMALL AND VERY HARD TO FIND, WILL REMAIN. LESS THAN 20% OF THEM AR INFECTED, BUT THEY’RE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BULK OF DISEASES. THE PROFESSOR SAYS REPELLENT WITH DEET ARE SAFE AND HAVE BEEN USED FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS. >> TREATED CLOTHING, REPELLENT USE, CHECKING YOURSELF FOR TICKS, BEING AWARE THAT IT DOESN’T MATTER WHETHER AN EXPE LIKE ME SAYS ’OH, THIS IS GOING TO BE A GOOD YEAR OR A BAD YEAR’ ALWAYS CHECK FOR TICKS. TAKE A SHOWER IMMEDIATELY AFTER SPENDING LOTS OF TIME IN THE WOODS. JULIE: EVEN IF YOU’RE BITTEN BY A TICK INFECTED WITH LYME DISEASE, AND YOU FIND IT ON YOUR BODY WITHIN 24 HOURS OR LESS EXPERTS SAY YOUR CHANCE OF GETTING LYME DISEASE IS ACTUALLY VERY LOW, BUT MAKE SURE YOU SAVE THE INSECT JUST IN